Printing telegraph repeater



Oct. 2l', 1941. G. s. HlLTz PRINTING TELE-GRAPH REPEATER 2 Sheets-Shea?l 1 Filed April 20, 1938 Alm. v M t 4 v2 l l l l l .I L -||.|J Q om wv U\ 10.? L n. um... www mv d A r l l l l I l l l I l I I l l l l I L INVENTOR G. S. HILTZ I A TOR Y 2 sheets-smeet 2 G. S. HILTZ Filed April 2o, 1958 PRINTING TELEGRAPH REPEATER INVENTOR c. s. H|LTz A Toa Y Patented Oct. 21, 1941 nire stares PATENT OFFICE PRINTING TELEGRAPH REPEATER George S. Hiltz, Brooklyn, N. Y., assigner, by

mesne assignments, to The Western Union Telegraph Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 20, 1938, Serial No. `203,036 s claims. (o1. 17a- 73) This invention relates, in general, to printing u current employed is substantially less than in ,'10

similar systems in use at the present time.

Still another object of this invention is to improve the operation of the recording devices by energizing the electromagnets thereof from local sources. i

A further object of the invention is to provide for the operation of a plurality of receivers from a single repeater.

A still further object of this invention is to obviate any tendency which may exist to demagnetize certain of thepolarized devices employed in the receiving instruments.

In printing telegraph systems employed for the dissemination of news or other information, it is customary to operate a plurality of receiving` devices from -a single circuit.` In systems of this type certain of the electromagnetic instrumen- `talities comprising the receivers are connected directly in the line circuits. Where the receiving devices are of the type shown in Patent No.;

680,693 granted to John Burry on August 20, 1901, the line current which is necessary to, operate these instruments is comparatively high. Consequently the receiving devices which may be connected into a single circuit is limited to a rela- ,-1,

tively small number.` Also where the receivers are located at some distance from the transmitting station it is Vfrequently necessary to extend a separate circuit to each receiving instrument.

In cases where two or more receiving instrud".

ments are located close to one another, as for example in the same building, it is advantageous to be lable to provide local repetition to such receivers. Heretoiore in instances of this nature the instruments themselves have been connected idirectly in the line circuits, thereby reducing the number of other receivers which might have been connected in this particular circuit.

Inasmuch as the line conductors which are generally used to constitute such a circuit, are of relatively small size and capable of transmitting currents which are limited to small values, it will be appreciated that a change in the mode oi' operation of the receiving instruments whereby tially reduced will eiiect a marked improvement in such a system. Also by providing local energization of the electromagnets comprising the receiving instruments, uniformity in the operation thereof is attainable. Such uniformity has always been lacking in systems of this type because of'extraneous influences to which the line conductors are frequently exposed. Hence by interposing between the recorders and the line circuits sensitive relays whichare responsive to the telegraph signals impressed upon the line conductors andV which effect the actual operation of the 'printing devices by means-of power supplied to their contacts locally, the results obtainable are vastly improved. At the same time, by properly choosing the amount of local potential supplied and by suitably adjusting the AValues of current limiting resistors, a plurality of receiving devices may be operated locally from the contacts of one group of relays. The attainment ofthe aforementioned objects and others incidental thereto will be apparent from the following description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic showing of a printing telegraph system embodying one form of the instant invention; and I Fig'. 2 also is a diagrammatic representation of a second embodimentV of the invention.

Having-reference rst to Fig. 1 there is shown a printing telegraph circuit comprising the two line conductors Ill and Il which emanate from a transmitter and pass successively through a series of repeaters, two of which A and M are shown, finally terminating in ground. To each of the repeaters may be connected a plurality of recording instruments, two of which `Al and A9 are shown connected to repeater A and two others of which Ml and M9 are connected to repeater M. For the detailed operation of these receiving instruments reference may be had to the aforementioned patent to Burry. For the purpose of describingthe present invention, a general description of such operation will sunice. By transmitting polar signals over line conductor l0 the escapement magnet l2 of printer Al is energized to step the typewheel to the character which is to be printed. Following this selection, an impulse of the proper polarity is transmitted over line conductor I lA whereby the shift magnet I3 is properly positioned to effect the desired shifting of the typewheel. At the same time the lower and upper press magnets I 4 and I6 are energized the value of the line currents may be substanik." to effect the printing of the character selected.

The so-called square magnet I'I is also energized simultaneously with the press magnets.

The escapement magnet I2 is operated locally from the contacts of a polarized relay I8 which is connected with its winding in series with the line conductor I. A similar polarized relay I9 is connected, in circuit with the line. conductor .I l to control .theoperationof the shiftmagnet I3. The operation of the press magnets and the square magnet is effected by the operation of two y single current or neutral relays, one of which is connected in circuit with the lneconductor vI.I and the other 2I is connectedinseries with .the line conductor I In orderlto operatefoneor more additional receiving instruments ifrom Ythe repeater A, corresponding electromagnetspf the printers or tickers are connected in series relation, for example, the escapementmagnet -22 of I 2 are connected in series relation and the direction of the current which is supplied thereto is periodically reversed in order to obtain the desired operation. It is well known that in such an arrangement the movement of the armature 34 is effected by the strengthening of one of the poles of the permanent magnet atthe same time that the opposite pole is weakened by means of the windings. Under normal conditions of oper- -ation such an arrangement has no detrimental effects since these conditions are not permitted repeater A9 is connected in series withv-theescapement magnet I2 of ticker AI. Similarly the `shift-magnet i113, :the press -magnets 24 and 25, and-thesquar'e'magnet: 25 of ticker fAS-are connected --in lseries-"with their -respective counterparts-fof ticker AI. `rlI-hese vconnections .may -be 'established b-ypla'cingl' the `V`arms; of a -switch 21 inl their Supper positionsv as ishown, vWhen l'moved toJt-heir ilower positions,the arms of the iswitch are instrumental -in disconnecting the above 'described circuits to ticker-'AS and irl-establishing, intheir-vstead, the connections necesSar-ylto complete -1 the operating circuits of i ticker A I l In 1 order f to describev -the operation of the escapement l"magnets from the contactsof relay? I 8 'in response `to rever-salsof the licur-rent in line conductor ILassume :that in response-to afline signal, fthe-tongue of -relay Ii-isipositionedonA its -lefl-l hand K contact. hA {circuit-is then lestablished vf-rorn'any-convenient V source fdirect vcurrent Ysuch #as a rectifier, ay generator-enfasi; shown vin the drawings, a grounded batterypthrou'ghVresistance*-29, lthe ftongue land. lleftfhand- Contact of relay-"I8, one yof the -windingsfof -escapement magneti! 2,-a correspondingwinding I of Y escapement-magnet 22,- conducto' `3'2,and\resistance -33 tothe grounded terminal of theba'tterylZ. 'The ldirection-'of -thecurrent: through thev windings of `the escapement lmagn'ets 'fis such'ithat lthel poles of the permanent magnets with whichlthe windings are associated are materiallystrengthened l thereby attractingv the Larmatures 134 land 35. -Upona reversal of the Acurr-ent inf-lineIIl, the tongue of relay lI'S-.isrmo-Ved toy itsrighthand contact, therebyf'ener-gizing windings- 36 land "38 -of rescapement:magnets' |22 -and 122 respectively. The renergization Yof Athese `v.windings moves the Varmatures'y 3% 'and $5 to fthe .ri-ght.

It will lbe notedithatonly -one of the windings of the escapementmagnetsis energizedat any l one --time Aand-such Lenergization is galwaysf f n such -anature Vthat-the strength Yof the permanent magnetitends tof-b eincreased. 'Thisf-is important lbecause of fthe fact -th'at the relay EI8 isof such character that '-itsr tongue remains-engaged Vwith one or the other of its contacts.' until such vtime as l-the'lline current.iislfvafpolarity'iwhich fwill cause the-tongue tovmovetolitseopposite contact. .Itffrequent'ly .occurs'i that] the isourceoflocal pow- .erisleft connected atoithe apparatus during .periods .whenithe..circi1it isii'dle. `Such .alcondition xwould :in tme .cause .1a.l .deterioration :of the. pernianent magnets' .of thezescapementifmagnets if the; connectionfto the windings .thereof` remained .as `.they.arefccmnected inpresent systems. This .latterA arrangemntis one;whereby: thetwo .wind-- grounded terminal of the battery 28.

.toeXist'for.anyappreciable period of time. But it .will be apparent .that in any such arrangement-.where'the windings 30 and 36 are left energizedin this-manner for long periods of time, suchrasoVer-night when the circuits are normally idle, the life of the permanent magnets may be `substantially reduced.

.After the selection of the desired character, a potential is maintained in connection with the lineconductory I i] and has'the polarity .which was -that -o`f Cthe llast impulse required to lstep the 'typewheel of-thaprinting instrument to effect the proper character selection. There is no vpotenitial applied 4to line 'conductor II during 'the series of-rselection 'impulses which :are transmitted over linelconductor .-I. Following-the selection, a potenti-alis impresseduponjineconfductor :1I I 4'and.-hasnwhatever polarity; is .necessary to producethev proper. action ofthe shift magnets I3 andi 23. In. orderLtoitraceY the 'operating-:circuit 'for .these magnetsiassume :that zthe tongue of relay I3. is'gpositioned. on its .right f'hand contact. There is then. established a. circuit from` battery 28, through resistance 39, conductor 40, thershift :magnetelof-ticker AI,.ithe shift magnet -23 of i ticker :A9, .conductor 'LA I, yright hand :contact and tongue of relay I9 and resistance 142 :to VVthe In :order -tozproducea shift lofthettypewheel of an op- .positeznaturegthe .tonguetof frelayI 9 is positioned on its left hand contact anda similarfcircuit'is established toimpress'thelocal potential Offbatltery 32.8 uponlthe .shift :magnets fI3 and 23, :this '.'timesconducting currentrthroughthewindings of .these electromagnets 1in Y.the :opposite direction V-During thetransmission ofthe seriesof reversalswhereby. selection is effected, Athe :single :ourrent .relay 2I, .inf series with vline .conductor v1i), .may'lberoperated or itsxtongue maychatteron itsfrontfcontact, depending uponlthe adjustment of 'the f relay. Whether the r Contact l:between =the `tongue and the front :contact fis'i'lrmlymade'or rnotv has .no bearing .upon the .operation of fthe `receiving instruments. However, as -soon as `seilection has been completed and a steadyzcurrent -is flowing in .line conductor -I, the tongue -of .relay32I 1;is attracted'intosolid engagement with .its front contact. rt'hen, when-the lineconduc- `tor II is :rendered conductive by the transmission 'of I.the shift impulse, the armature of .relay 20 .is lmoved/into engagement-with its frontcontact, .thereby closing a -circuit `from battery v28 twhich includes `'resistance f"I3, press magnets I4 :and rII `of'printer AI, press magnets 24 and 25 :of printer A9 vto a forked circuit,.one branch of which includesY conductor-44, resistance 46 and terminates at the 'grounded terminal-.of the battery-28, and -theother branch-.of whichincludes square*magnetsland I.-I of printers .A9 and AI respectively, 'tongue and front Contact -of relay -,2I, 'resistance ci?, and lalso terminates'at the' grounded terminal of 'the battery `28. The foper- 'ation'.of the press magnets, among other things, -eifects `theprintingpoi the selected character.

The operation of the square magnets accom-v plishes nothing at this time. Their purpose is to eiect a carriage return which is a-ccomplished in the following manner. After the printing of the selected chara-cter, a flow of current is maintained in line conductor I, thereby'sustaining the operation of relay 20. During this period of sustained operation of relay 20 the current in line conductor I is reduced to zero thereby allowing the tongue of relay 2| to break its engagement with the front contact. It may be seen from the drawings that the circuit for the square magnets l1 and 25 is thus opened permitting these magnets to be restored to normal. At the same time the press magnets Ill and I6 of printer AI and 25 and 25 of printer A9 are maintained in their operative condition since the circuit therefor is still intact through resistance 45 to the grounded terminal of the battery 28. Potential is again applied to line conductor l0 at the transmitter causing the relay 2| to attract its tongue to its front contact and again closing the operating circuit for the square umagnets |1 and 26. whereupon they become reenergized. This sequence of operations is one which is peculiar to the Burry ticker and performs the function of carriage return in a manner which is set forth in the aforementioned patent to Burry.

A second modification of the instant invention is illustrated in Fig. 2. The line conductors ||0 and are shown extending from the transmitter through a plurality of repeaters, of which two are shown, namely N and Z, and finally terminating in ground. A plurality of receiving instruments may be connected to any of the repeaters. Two of such receiving instruments N| and N9 are shown connected to repeater N and instrumentsZl and Z9 are shown connected to repeater Z. In the following description the various instrumentalities which comprise the printers or tickers and repeaters, and which are similar to those previously described, bear the same reference characters with a prei-1X 1, as their counter-parts of Fig. 1. The character of the line signals which are employed to operate the receiving devices is the same as that described previously.

The line conductor I0 is connected through the winding of a three-position polarized relay |50, the tongue of which is responsive to the signals being transmitted over this line. The oscillation of the tongue of relay |50 between the two extreme contacts is instrumental in controlling the operation of the escapement magnets l2 and |22 of tickers N| and N9, respectively. For example, assume that the tongue of relay |50, in response to a line signal, is positioned on its left hand contact. There is then established a circuit from battery |28, through resistance |I, conductor |52, winding |30 of escapement magnet H2, windings |38 and |3| of escapement magnet |22, winding |30 of escapement magnet H2, left hand contact and tongue of relay |50, winding of relay |2| and resistance |53 to the grounded terminal of the battery 28. The eifect of this circuit upon the escapement magnets ||2 and |22 is that the windings |30 and |3| are poled to aid in the permanent magnets and windings |30 and |38 are poled to oppose the permanent magnets. It will be noted that a resistance |54 is connected in shunt with the series f connection of the escapement magnet windings and the resistance |5|. However, these two resistances are equal and are so proportioned with respect to the resistance of escapement magnet windings that in the division of current between ments.

the two parallel paths the current which is conducted through the windings is suilcient to effect the movement of the armatures |34 and |35 to the left. Similarly, when the tongue of relay is moved into engagement with its right hand contact, a circuit is established from battery |28 through resistance |54, conductor |56, the windings of the escapement magnets I2 and |22 in a reverse direction to that previously described, right hand contact and tongue of relay |50, winding of relay |2| and resistance |53 to the grounded terminal of the battery |28. Accordingly the tongues of the escapement magnets are moved to the right.

It will be noted that the winding of relay |2| is included in the local circuit controlled by the contacts of relay |50. The position of the' tongue of this relay during the series of selective impulses transmitted over conductor I0 has no effect upon the operation of any of the ticker mechanism. However, at the conclusion of the series of selection impulses, conductor l0 is maintained in a conductive condition thereby effecting the full operation of the tongue of` relay |2|. The operation of the shift magnets ||3 and |23 is accomplished by the transmission of a suitable impulse over line conductor |I| in substantially the same manner as hereinbefore described in -connection with Fig. 1. In this case it is the three position polarized relay |51 which is used to control this operation. The single current relay |20 is connected in the local circuit of the relay |51 and responds to either polarity used to operate the shift magnets in the desired manner.

By the use of the special three-position line relays |50 and |51, it will be seen that the precautions which were taken against the prolonged connection of local power to certain of the electromagnetic instrumentalities comprising the tickers are not necessary in the instan't embodiment. As soon as eitherv or both of the line conductors are opened at the transmitter or elsewhere, the line relays are of such a character that the tongues become disengaged from either of their extreme contacts and assume an upright intermediate position, thereby severing the connections between the local power and the ticker magnets. It is therefore possible to connect the windings of the escapement magnets in the conventional manner heretofore employed. Because of this, it is possible to obtain satisfactory operation of these magnets with smaller values of current than those which are necessary where only one winding is energized at a time. It will also be observed that by removing the single current relays, by which certain of the functional operations of the tickers are controlled, from the line circuit and placing 'them in local circuits where closer control of the operating currents maybe obtained, better operating characteristics of the tickers may be attained.

The two embodiments of the invention disclosed herein illustrate the essential attributes of the instant invention, but numerous modifications thereof may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain features of the two circuit arrangements may be interchanged with one another Wherever it may be found convenient to do so. Hence, it is desired that this invention be not limited to the specific arrangements shown and described herein but shall also include all equivalent arrange- Accordingly the scope of the invention is set forth in the` following claims.

What is "claimed is z l 1. In a printing telegraph receiver, a polarized electromagnetic device havinga series connectio'nrof two `operating windings, a neutral electromagnetic device having an operating winding, a source OVdiIeCtcu'r'rent potential connected with the 'sanie 4polarity to "eachfof the terminals of saidseriesconnectiom a relay having contacts responsive to telegraph :line signals, return paths .from said terminals to the 'opposite polarity of said potential, and means including said relay contacts for successively rendering said paths alternately conductive and nonconductive toiproduce current reversals through Ithe operating windings of 'said-polarized device 'and a unidirectional current now through the 'operating 4W-if'r'l'di'ng of `said neutral device.

2; In aprinting telegraph receiver, an escapenient device having 'a permanent magnet and an 'electromagnet disposed adjacent each ofthe poles of -said permanent magnet, said electromagnetsv 'being connected i-n series, a sourceof direct current potential, a relay hav-ing -two stationary -contacts land an armature connected to said source of lzn'tenti'al fand arranged to voscillate'between said contacts in response to telegraph line signals, means for connecting the terminals of said series connection to the respective stationary contacts of said relay, and circuits including said relay contacts and armature, said electromagnets and said source oi direct current potential for operating saidrescapement device in accordance with the telegraph line signals without causing sustained electromagnetic opposition of said permanent magnet.l

v3.71m Va, printing telegraph receiver, an escapement `device having fa permanent magnet and an electromagnet disposed adjacent each of the poles of said permanent magnet, a .source of -direct current potential, aline relayresponsive to telegraph line :signals and having -two operative and one inoperative contact positions, either of .said operative contact positions .being instrumental in simultaneously energizing said electromagnets in response to said line signals, and said inoperative contactposition being instrumental in deenergizing said 'electromagnets in response -to a ,no-current line condition. f

GEORGE S. HILTZ. 

